Kerry: Syria Debate About 'World's Red Line'

3 Sep 2013

Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary of State John Kerry said the debate about whether to use military force against Syria was not about President Barack Obama’s “red line.” Instead, Kerry said it was about the “world’s red line” and that of Congress.

He said it was also about the red line of “anyone with a conscience.”

“You, the United States Congress agreed to the chemical weapons resolution,” Kerry said. He noted Congress also passed the Syria Accountability Act in 2003 which imposed sanctions on Syria for a number of offenses, including the development of WMDs.

Obama’s “red line” remarks were made “off-the-cuff” and created the dilemma he country currently faces in how to respond to the chemical attack by Bashar al-Assad’s regime.